Results 13,201-13,220 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 182 together. My Department has commissioned Indecon International Consultants to carry out research into the cost of disability. In line with the commitment contained in the Programme for Government, the Government will use the research into the cost of disability to individuals and families to properly inform the direction of future policy. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The data requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Total expenditure for Supplementary Welfare Allowance in 2020 was an estimated €115 million, while the estimated expenditure to May 2021 is €38.5 million. The 2020 accounts of my Department are not yet complete and are subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General; accordingly, these figures should be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement for all payments including those that are Covid- related, are made as quickly as possible. Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the different qualification criteria. Means-tested payments can require more detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need. The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency, such as disability, unemployment or caring. This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most. Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In the context of my Department procuring public employment services and its future plans there has been extensive engagement over the past 3 years with all external providers of public employment services, including the Local Employment Services. More recently both I and my officials have had significant engagement in recent months with the Irish Local Development Network, the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. The time taken to process an appeal reflects a number of factors, including that the appeals process is a quasi-judicial process with Appeals Officers being required to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The total number of parents benefit claims submitted in the period from 1st November 2019 to 31st March 2021 was 25,107. The Department is not in a position to provide a breakdown by County for claims received/registered in this period. The number of parents benefit claims created from 1st April 2021 to 27th June 2021 was 15,391. Below please find the breakdown by County for claims created...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pensions calculation was adopted by Government in the National Pensions Framework in 2010, as was the decision to base the entitlements of all new pensioners on this approach from around 2020. In advance of this, in January 2018, the Government agreed to a proposal that allows pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I note the publication of the June 2021 'Report - Examination of Bogus Self-Employment' and the recommendations therein of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development, and the Islands. My officials are considering those recommendations that pertain to my Department. The Deputy, however, will wish to be aware that responsibility for the Workplace Relations...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The free travel scheme provides free travel on public transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approximately 999,000 customers with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Workplace Relations Commission (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: While many have been displaced from their employment by the pandemic, a significant share of these people have already returned to work, and others will continue to return to their previous employment, as public health restrictions continue to ease. However, it is inevitable that some jobs will be permanently lost, and additional numbers of persons will require State support to find new jobs...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Workplace Relations Commission (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I note the publication of the June 2021 'Report - Examination of Bogus Self-Employment' and the recommendations therein of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development, and the Islands. The Deputy seems to be referring to Recommendation 12 of that report, which states: "12. The Committee recommends that the period for employers to pay backdated PRSI contributions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, the majority of whom are women, and particularly for carers of incapacitated children, in recognition of the enormous value of the work carried out by them. This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department's Back to Education Allowance provides income support for people who wish to pursue full time second or third level courses. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Grant, payable by the Department of Education and Skills, represents the primary support for people pursuing third level education. The Part-Time Education option, already in place, enables unemployed persons...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pensions calculation was adopted by Government in the National Pensions Framework in 2010, as was the decision to base the entitlements of all new pensioners on this approach from around 2020. In advance of this, in January 2018, the Government introduced an interim “Total Contributions Approach” (TCA) which...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: All current contracted public employment services contracts are due to expire on 31 December this year. My Department has therefore been reviewing all contracted provision including that provided by the local employment services with a view to contracting sufficient quality employment service capacity to meet the needs of those who are unemployed. To deliver this capacity my Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As set out under the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, which was launched on June 1st 2021, a central focus of the recovery process will be on supporting people back into employment, with an overall ambition of exceeding pre-crisis employment levels by reaching 2.5 million people in work by the end of 2024. Central to achieving this ambition will be the forthcoming national...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The recent cyber-attack on the Health Service Executive has impacted the registration of all births, deaths and marriages. Registration of births, deaths and marriages ceased between the 14th May and the 11th of June. The HSE has now resumed registration services but, I am advised, it will take several weeks to clear the backlog of registrations, particularly in the Greater Dublin Area....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The July Jobs Stimulus set out the Government investment plan of €200m investment towards training, education, skill development, work placement schemes, recruitment subsidies and job search and assistance measures; these measures aim to help those who have lost their jobs find a new one, retrain or develop new skills, in particular for emerging growth sectors. Building on the July...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: People in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (the latter for a minimum of 26 weeks) who wish to return to work are eligible for Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) for a period if their capacity for work is reduced as a result of their medical condition. The personal rate of payment of PCB is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for...